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One killed in Oakdale crash after power outage stops traffic light

OAKDALE, Minn. - A 78-year-old St. Paul woman died after a three-vehicle accident here where the traffic lights went out during a power outage Thursday.

The accident occurred around 3 p.m. at the intersection of state Highway 5 and Hadley Avenue, about four miles north of the Interstate 94/694 interchange.

According to a Minnesota State Patrol report: the traffic lights were not working due to a power outage in the area. Two vehicles slowed to stop as they neared the intersection on westbound Highway 5 when a vehicle driven by Josephine Meidlinger, 78, failed to stop and rear ended one of the vehicles, causing it to rear end another vehicle in front of it.

Meidlinger was taken by ambulance to Regions Hospital in St. Paul and was pronounced dead. She was not wearing a seat belt, the State Patrol report states.

The driver of the one of the vehicles that was rear-ended was taken to Lakeview Hospital in Stillwater for non-life threatening injuries. The other driver and passengers were not seriously injured.

All of the survivors in the crash were wearing seat belts, the report states.

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